Old, Old, Old Friends
by Coseepo
Summary: Eleven, Amy and Rory visit the year 1968, causing the Doctor to run into an old friend... who convinces him to let him go on one last adventure. No pairing. Please R
1. Chapter 1

**So some of you may have seen this the first I uploaded it. I took it down because I had no time to work on it and no idea where it would go. That is still the case, but the problem is I'm just in love with the story anyway. So yeah. Don't expect regular updates, especially as I have my GCSEs at the moment. But rest assured, this WILL be worked on. Eventually. And reviews will speed up the progress. **

**So, please enjoy :P**

**DISCLAIMER. This is a fanfiction website, so I don't own anything.**

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"Pond? Pass me that bottle. No, that one. Come on, bring it here, quick as you like."

"Here."

"Thanks."

Ian groaned a little as something was dabbed on his forehead. He raised his hand gingerly, and the dabbing stopped. He felt an open cut and grimaced.

"How are you feeling?" The voice was low, close. It was the same voice which he had heard a moment ago.

Wincing, Ian opened his eyes. A young man was crouching next to him, with the most ridiculous hair, and a bowtie and a tweed jacket. His eyebrows were raised, and he was looking at Ian earnestly, even with concern. Ian himself was lying on a sort of bed.

"Fine, thanks," he said, certainly. He closed his eyes again, and frowned. "Where am I? What happened?"

When he opened his eyes again, the young man was smiling. "Come on, now, Ian. I know you can answer both of those if you think hard enough."

Ian forced his eyes into focus, widening them and blinking. He looked around. The room he was in was odd; it was shaped almost like a science beaker, rounded and then narrow, with coral coloured walls which were hollowed by little hexagonal holes here and there. A woman with a shock of red hair stood a little way away, and behind her was another man, who looked, in Ian's opinion, like he might be a homeless person.

"It can't be…" Ian sat up, uneasily. There was no mistaking that column. But the huge yellow dome above it, the shape, the colours, this couldn't be…

He looked at the young man beside him, eyebrows knitting. He grew suspicious. "Who are you?"

"Go on," said the man, eagerly. "Tell me where we are. Guess who I am. Go on." He turned around and faced his companions, frowning. "Neither of you two say anything."

Ian blinked hard, staring at the column, rising and falling almost lazily. "Surely it's not the TARDIS…"

The man clapped and jumped up, utterly beaming. "There you go! Now that wasn't really so hard, was it?" He leant in close to Ian again. "Now if this is the TARDIS, who must I be? Who am I?"

"You can't be…" muttered Ian, in wonder, really looking at him for the first time. "You look so young."

"Come on, now. Who am I?"

Ian's lip twitched, and then he really did smile. "…Doctor?"

The Doctor's grin broadened even wider and he threw his arms around Ian. "Ah, Chesterton, it's so good to see you!"

Ian laughed and returned the hug. "I could say the same to you! But what happened? Why are you so young?"

The Doctor drew back so that Ian could see him again. "Regeneration."

"What?"

He just smiled and turned to face the other two people in the room. "This could take a while. You two might want to find something else to do."

The man nodded, and took the woman by the elbow. "Right. Come on, Amy."

"Wait." The man stopped at her voice, looking uncomfortable. "Who is this person? I didn't realise you knew him." Her voice had the most fantastic Scottish twang that Ian had ever heard.

The Doctor stood up, turning on his heel. "Sorry, guys, forgot introductions. Chesterton, this is Amy Pond and Rory Williams, my current companions. And _this_," he said, turning back to Ian, speaking almost proudly, "is Ian Chesterton. He and one of his co-workers were the first people from Earth ever to set foot on the TARDIS."

**So yar review please :P**


	2. Chapter 2

**So yep, another chapter of dialogue, just cos I love writing for these two together. Stuff will happen next chapter, I promise! Also, sorry if I get Amy, Rory or Eleven wrong at all, as I am not so good with the recent series... I would also like to recommend at the point alumos10's story, 'The Oldest of Friends', which is a similar concept but with Ten. The writing is just superb.**

**So, please review. Y'know, cos no one did last time.**

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"So. Regeneration?"

Ian was lying down again, if only because it was more comfortable.

"Yeah. It's sort of a thing we Time Lords do when -"

"Time Lords?"

The Doctor actually stared at him. "Did I honestly not even tell you my race when I knew you? How on Earth did you put up with me?"

Ian laughed and sat up a little again. "With difficulty."

"Yes… Yes, well, I'm a Time Lord, the _last _Time Lord, and we can -"

"Last? What do you mean last? What about Susan?"

The Doctor looked away, biting his lip uncomfortably.

"Doctor?"

"So… so as I was saying, we Time Lords are able to regenerate, and it's a sort of renewing of the body, and so we get a different body each time."

Ian was still looking at the man with a hard expression. "Doctor. Tell me about Susan."

The Doctor flapped his hands helplessly at his sides, and then frowned. "I can't," he said, in a defeated sort of voice. "I can't tell you about things that happens in the future."

"What are you talking about? We've been to the future loads of times. The Susan I knew _is _in the future."

"Well this is different. _As I was saying, _Time Lords regenerate when their bodies get tired."

Ian raised his eyebrows. "That's rather irresponsible of you, isn't it, Doctor? Losing a body like that? Then again, I suppose it was awfully _old._"

"It was not!" cried The Doctor, indignantly. "I'm a lot older now, you know."

"What? Three years?"

The Doctor frowned. He sat down on the edge of the recliner Ian lay on. "Uh, Ian, I think there is something I need to explain to you."

"Oh yes?"

"Well, you see… right, first, I should explain that for a time traveller, there are three kinds of time. Personal Time, Relative Time, and Actual Time. It's been three years Actual Time since you last saw me, correct?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Well, for me, Relative Time, it's been a bit longer."

Ian frowned. "How much longer?"

"Well, uh, give or take a few days… 46 years."

"… And Personal Time?"

"Several thousand years."

Silence.

The Doctor coughed uncomfortably. "This is actually my Eleventh body."

"_Eleven?_" Ian sat up with such force that his head swam and The Doctor was forced to jump up.

"Hey, easy," he said, easing his early companion back down.

"Doctor, you can't go through bodies like their toffee. The first one lasted you long enough."

"Yes, yes. Look, just… just rest for a bit, alright?" His face showed earnest concern, and he smiled uneasily, but kindly.

Ian's mouth twitched into a smile too. "Alright, Doctor. How did this happen, anyway?" He indicated his head. "Daleks invade Earth again or something?"

The Doctor clapped his hands and spun on his heel, returning to the TARDIS console. "Anyway, if you're better, we should really be getting you home. Right, so -"

"Doctor?"

The Doctor turned guiltily around. "Well… um, see, since you knew me, the TARDIS has been improved."

"You mean you can actually control it now?" teased Ian.

"Yes. Well, sort of. Well, that's just it. I mean, I can choose a time and a location, but we're talking millions of light years. It's understandable I'd be a couple of parsecs off, right?"

Ian's eyes narrowed. "Doctor…" He frowned, but the upturned corners of his mouth betrayed him. "…Were _you _responsible for injuring me by any chance?"

"The, uh… the TARDIS fell on you."

Ian roared with laughter, so loudly that he imagined that Rory and Amy would hear him. "Wh-what?"

A wave of relief broke over the Doctor's face. "I was worried you'd be angry."

"Goodness Doctor, you _have _changed. What exactly do you mean, anyway? How did it _fall_ on me?"

The Doctor became flustered, despite his friend's amusement. "Well, we were meant to land on the roof, but it was a bit off, and you were walking through the alley underneath, and it just sort of… clipped you…" He trailed off. Coughed. "It was quite a coincidence really… unless…" He frowned, thinking. After a moment, his eyes slowly widened, and he pointed a finger accusingly at Ian. "This was _your _fault!"

This elicited another laugh from Ian. "Me? I'm so sorry for walking home from the shop."

"No no no no, you don't understand, you threw the TARDIS off course, you and your residual TARDIS _stuff._"

"Well, no matter whose fault it was," said Ian, as his chuckles subsided. "I think I deserve compensation."

"Compensation?" The Doctor looked worried again.

Ian smiled, a little wistfully. "How about it, Doctor? One last adventure?"

The Doctor did not reply.

"Come on. I won't be young much longer. I've missed you and your lunatic box."

"The way I remember it, you couldn't wait to get home." He rubbed the back of his head distractedly. "The problem is Chesterton, the timelines. I mean, there's Barbara to consider."

"Blast, Barbara. She'll be worried about me. We're engaged, you know."

"Exactly." The Doctor sighed. "I was at the wedding. See, the problem comes from messing with the future, not getting you back in time. I can drop you off at the moment that you were taken. But what if something happens to you?"

He watched Ian's expression carefully. Ian did not respond for some time, he simply lay, his face set. Then, with a grimace, and before the Doctor could stop him, he swung his legs over the edge of the sofa and strode over. He was hit by dizziness, but he didn't react. It would ruin his argument.

He reached the Doctor and stood very close to him, looking down on him. The Doctor was still shorter.

"Now look here, Doctor." His voice was calm, low. "I travelled with you for nearly two years. I fought Daleks with you. I fought Zarbi and Moroks and Voords. I was an Aztec warrior, a Roman slave and gladiator, and a knight of the Crusades. I saved your life on more than one occasion, and Susan's, and Barbara's. I have been arrested and sentenced to death and shrunk and given a deadly disease and put on display in a museum and chased across time and space, all because of you. And I'll tell you another thing, Doctor, I survived. Now are you going to let me come or not?"

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**OH GOD I LOVE IAN SO MUCH.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright, looks like I lied. I'm not great at adventure, okay? This is another character-based chapter. In fact, this will be a character-based story with only a tiny bit of adventure, like, really small, so yeah, look at alumos10's (edit: now 'ALittleBitOod') story :3**

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The Doctor stared up at Ian in astonishment. He sighed. He looked to the floor. "Fine. I suppose you _can _handle yourself. And I'm better able to look after you know my body's younger. Fine." His eyes flitted to space just over Ian's shoulder. "Did you two hear all that, then?"

Ian whirled around. Rory and Amy were standing in the doorway, gawking at him.

"Did you really do all those things?" asked the red-head. Ian laughed a little again and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yes, I suppose I did."

Rory looked anxiously from Ian, to Amy, to Ian again. He gingerly raised a hand. "Um, I've died a couple of times."

"Oh be quiet, Rory," said the Doctor, cheerfully, moving over to the TARDIS console. "It's not a competition. And even if it was, I'd win."

* * *

"Wake up, Chesterton, we're here," said the Doctor.

Ian had not been asleep. He had been sitting in a chair. His eyes were shut, certainly, but in all fairness his head _did _hurt quite a bit. "What? Already?"

"Like I say, _improvements! _Come on you three, let's go look outside."

Ian followed the Doctor, Amy and Rory out of the TARDIS. When he turned, he couldn't help but smile at the little blue police box. It was like coming home after a long journey… though, he supposed, it was actually the complete opposite.

"Are you alright Ian?"

The voice made him jump. The Doctor was at his elbow, looking worried again.

"Yes, I'm alright. Just reminiscing."

The Time Lord grinned again. "Fantastic."

"Where are we, Doctor?" asked Rory.

"I don't know. I've never been here before." He put his hands on his hips and looked around at the great, grey hall.

"I thought you said you could control the TARDIS now."

The Doctor shot Ian a pointed look. "I _can. _But I _thought _you said you wanted an adventure."

Ian smiled. "Alright then. Let's have a look round, then, see what we can find."

They walked off together to the end of the hall and through the archway.

* * *

Amy walked a few paces forwards. "Doctor?"

There was no reply. Rory followed her, and she turned to face him. "Did he just forget we were here? Has that Ian guy just replaced us?"

"More like he's replaced _you_," muttered Rory.

"What?"

"Nothing. Sorry. I mean, it's not really a problem, is it? He's only going to be here a little while, and it's fair enough, the Doctor hasn't seen him in ages." He lowered his voice again. "And it might be nice for _us _to spend some time together."

Amy still looked annoyed. Rory sighed.

"Fine, I'll talk to him, alright?"

Her expression remained for a second or so more, but then broke into a small smile. She kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks, Rory."

* * *

"So you honestly have no idea where we are, Doctor?"

"Weeell, I wouldn't say _no _idea."

Ian raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, I know we're in the Seventh Galaxy. Probably on the outskirts somewhere."

"And is there life on this planet?"

"Ian, it'd be a pretty boring adventure if there wasn't."

"Well I don't see anybody. Where is everyone?"

"Doctor?" Rory had caught up with them. "Um, can I have a quick word?"

The Doctor and Ian stopped.

"Go ahead," said the Doctor.

Rory eyed Ian.

"Oh, alright then," sighed the Doctor. They walked off.

* * *

Ian walked breezily behind them for a while. He couldn't hear what they were saying. Presently he realised Amy was now beside him.

"Hello," he laughed. "I didn't see you there."

"Hmm."

"Bit boring, this place, isn't it?"

"A little," she said curtly.

"Not much of an adventure," continued Ian.

Amy stopped walking and turned to face him. "Look." She took a deep breath. "It's not that I don't like you or anything, I mean, you seem really nice, I'm just not really in the mood for talking to you right now, alright?"

She began walking again. Ian furrowed his eyebrows and sped after her.

"_Excuse me?_"

"It's nothing personal, alright?"

He folded his arms. "So we can talk _later _then?"

She sighed. "Sure."

"I'll look forward to it."

Once again, Amy began walking. Ian was about to follow her, when he noticed a little passage way heading off from the main corridor.

_Finally, something different, _he thought, as he headed towards it, alone.

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**Awkward cut off point, but y'know, nothing exciting is happening... this idea sort of failed. Still, reviews, please?**


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